Congress authorized the Northeast Corridor Commission in the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 and charged it with developing a formula to allocate NEC capital and operating costs based on usage, making recommendations to Congress, and facilitating collaborative planning. The Commission is made up of 18 members, including representatives from each of the eight Northeast Corridor states, the District of Columbia, Amtrak, and the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Following authorization in 2008, the Commission was chartered in 2010 to focus on near-term strategies to stabilize the NEC and establish a foundation for future growth through unified regional action. Because the rail system serves multiple states and crosses many jurisdictions, federal, state, and local governments in the region and rail service providers must join together to successfully develop and implement an effective modernization program.